ESSEX WOMAN ACCUSED OF ENDANGERING OFFICER

An Essex motorist who almost hit a police officer when he tried to stop her car on Green Street was arrested Thursday and charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, police said.

Kathy L. Smith, 36, of 10 Highland Terrace, in the Ivoryton section of Essex, is accused of almost hitting Officer Michael Inglis twice.

Inglis was on duty in the North End with another plainclothes officer.

Inglis showed his badge and tried to stop Smith's car because it was being driven in a suspicious manner, Lt. Bonye Barone said.

Inglis and the other officer had seen the car go around the Green and Ferry street block numerous times, stopping at a building on Green Street and then moving on.

The car twice almost hit Inglis when he stood in the street to stop it, Barone said. The car came so close each time that Inglis had to jump out of the way, he said.

When Smith finally stopped for police, she was charged with numerous violations, including driving under the influence, failure to have lights on, operating without a license, disobeying a police officer, driving the wrong way on a one-way street and failure to obey a stop sign.

Smith was held overnight in lieu of $15,000 bail. She was arraigned Friday in Superior Court. The result of her arraignment was unavailable Friday.